Heavy waterlogged soil

[FightingGardener]

Hi.

I am very new to gardening and following advice I have built raised vegetable planting beds. This is because the whole of my garden is very waterlogged. The soil is clay like and removing the top 6 inches of topsoil revels a hard layer of clay.

I really need some ideas on how to help deal with the soil/drainage so I can use the rest of the garden.

Thanks for any advice
Andy

Bluemoonblog - A new veggie gardener

[SarzWix]

Sounds like you need to double dig, which is digging out a trench one spade's depth & width, putting the topsoil onto a plastic sheet, or in a wheelbarrow, then loosen the bottom of the trench to another spade depth with a fork. (If you can, mix in some grit/small pebbles into the bottom) Then dig the next section -chuck the topsoil down into the 1st trench, and then loosen the bottom as before. Keep moving along until you've done the last segment of the bed, and put the soil from the wheel barrow into the final trench. If you can mix some organic matter into the topsoil (compost or well rotted manure) this will improve the drainage of the topsoil too.

If the drainage is really really poor you could also make a soakaway at the lowest point of the garden. That means digging a large trench and filling it with hardcore, allowing the water to drain out of the rest of the garden into it.

Welcome to the Vine by the way

[Snadger]

..........or if you are using a bed system,a french drain under the paths will filter away water. Basically dig 2 spits deep and fill with large pebbles. Add a layer of permeable membrane and use pea gravel on the top 4 inches for the path.

It's best to angle the drains to wherever you want the water to run to!